


Trip to the North Pole

by AtLAstuff



Series: That figure skating AU [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Zuko is a good boyfriend, figure skating AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 09:23:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17578193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtLAstuff/pseuds/AtLAstuff
Summary: So maybe Zuko just planned out a whole trip just so Sokka could visit the North Pole because he missed his favourite sport.Can be read as a standalone.





	Trip to the North Pole

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, this one has quite a few Sokka/Yue references, but other than that it's mostly Sokka geeking out over figure skating and Zukka fluff.

It was one of the coldest days of the year (which in Fire Nation terms, wasn’t that could either way), but Sokka didn’t notice any of that now he was wrapped in Zuko’s arms as they were laying in bed after a long day. 

 

A few months had passed since they went to the South Pole, almost half a year to be exact, and they had spent almost every day since then together. Sokka had gone home with Zuko, telling his sister about their relationship almost straight away. She was going to find out about it either way, keeping it from her just seemed like a bad idea. They did trust her after all, it’s not some great secret only the two of them wanted to keep. He had also told Grangran, not wanting to keep secrets like this from her if he was going to leave again for months. She didn’t seem to mind at all, saying she ‘saw through it the day she spoke with Zuko’, whatever that meant. All of their friends had been surprisingly unsurprised by their announcement that were dating now. Apparently they really were being extremely oblivious. 

 

So yea, his friends knew, his family knew, Iroh knew, but the rest of the world didn’t. Everyone kinda guessed, especially after Zuko finally legalized same sex marriage in the Fire Nation after it being illegal since his great-grandfather was in charge. He was such a good leader and Sokka was extremely proud of him, of course. Sokka helped him with his job too. 

 

The reason Zuko never addressed the rumours was because he didn’t find the need to. And because he thought it was obvious enough either way. They were in no way, shape, or form being subtle about it, that’s for sure. Granted, they weren’t exactly sucking each other off in public every day, but the handholding and Sokka being everywhere Zuko went should’ve probably given it away. He didn’t want to make it anything special, he wouldn’t have addressed dating rumours, if you could even call it that because everyone seemed pretty sure either way, if Sokka were with a girl either. He was here to run the nation and that was the only thing that matters. 

 

Legalizing same sex marriage was actually a lot easier than thought, and barely received any backlash which the both of them were extremely happy about.  

 

“Hey, Sokka?” The other spoke up, snuggling his face more in the other’s neck. They had been lying like this for about half an hour now. If Sokka didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Zuko had fallen asleep by now. But he could tell when and how Zuko’s breathing pattern changed when he fell asleep. 

 

“Mmm?” He replied lazily. 

 

“You miss skating right?” 

 

That was… kind of a random question. Of course he did, but why did Zuko suddenly think about that now? 

 

“Yea, what about it?”

 

Zuko didn’t really reply for a couple of moments as if he was debating something with himself. 

 

“I might have done something,” he said. 

 

Sokka snorted. “That sounds mysterious.”  _ done something, _ what does that even mean? 

 

“You said there were more skaters on the North Pole right?” 

 

And now Sokka saw were this was going. “Yea?”

 

“I uh, got in contact with the Northern Water Tribe one day for political reasons and I couldn’t help but ask whether we could like, go on a holiday there or something?” Zuko sounded awkward, as if he was saying some terrible plan he had made up. But Sokka absolutely melted. Zuko would really go all the way up to the north for him just for skating? 

 

This seemed like a joke. “Wait, are you serious?” He shifted a bit, turning around now so he could face the other without actually getting free from his embrace. Nothing in Zuko’s face told him he was playing some cruel joke on him though. 

 

“Yea and I also, uh, asked about figure skating? Like, if they have any… ice- I mean of course they have ice but you know… ice ice- because- ice. To skate. Ice- for skating. I-“

 

Before the other could say ‘ice’ one more time, Sokka quickly cut him off by placing a small peck on his lips. “Why are you so nervous telling me this?” 

  
Zuko sounded almost as nervous as he had months ago when they had just gotten into their relationship. If you asked Sokka it was ‘adorable’ though. 

 

“I thought you’d might be upset I asked about skating for you…” Zuko still looked at him. Even in the darkness of their room, his golden eyes still shined. 

 

Sokka couldn’t believe this. “Of course I’m not, you idiot! I know it was kind of a secret but, having an opportunity to skate on an ice rink like they have in the Northern Water Tribe is way more important than actually keeping it a secret!” He snuggled his face into the other’s chest. Zuko really thought he got upset because he has planned a holiday for them? 

 

“There’s one more thing-... well, two more things…” Zuko started. Sokka had to be dreaming, there was no way his boyfriend was actually going to take him on a holiday to the North Pole. “They said they had a master in figure skating, someone who’s willing to train you while you’re there, if you’d want that of course. Oh and also, they got you new skates? Well I technically did but you know, they made them? I figured since you probably left yours at home and-“

 

Sokka started peppering kisses all over Zuko’s jawline and neck. He didn’t need to hear more, this was already enough to make his heart flutter. He could never repay him for this. “Zuko, I love you so much you have no idea” he said between kisses, working his way down. 

 

The heat turned up even more quickly. 

 

~~

 

About a week later Sokka stood on the deck of a ship leaning a bit forwards on the railing, sailing right towards the North Pole. He still couldn’t quite believe it. 

 

He thought about the last time he had been at the South Pole, which wasn’t exactly something he liked to remember. Would it be weird to go to the place where Yue died with his now-boyfriend? He thought about it. They had known each other for a couple of days, and he was sure she’d want the best for him either way. 

 

“Hey, you okay?” He heard Zuko’s voice from behind him. 

 

“Just thinking…”

 

“Hmmm,” Zuko pressed his chest against Sokka’s back and wrapped his hands around him. “About Yue?” He placed his head on Sokka’s shoulder, staring forwards at nothing but water and ice bergs. 

 

“Kind of? I’m sorry it’s just…”

 

“Sokka it’s fine, I understand. It’s normal to be sad about these things,” Zuko sounded sincere. 

 

Both were silent for a while before Sokka spoke up. “I think she’d be glad to see I’m happy now.”

 

“I think so too,” Zuko agreed. “She sounds like a really lovely person.”

 

“Can we go visit the pond one of the days?” he didn’t think Zuko would say no to the request, but he still wanted to ask anyway. 

 

“Of course.” 

 

Sokka turned his head towards Zuko’s, giving his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. 

 

~~

 

“Welcome, Fire Lord Zuko and Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe!” Chief Arnook and some other important people were waiting for them when they walked of off the ship. 

 

“Thank you so much for having us,” Zuko said and bowed. “Especially after what the Fire Nation did last time-...”

 

Sokka already felt better just being back in a climate he had been used to since birth. Sure the Fire Nation and there normal and stable weather was nice, but he had really missed the ice. 

 

“It’s honestly fine, I’m glad the four nations can live in harmony once again, which is largely your doing.” After all, it had been mostly admiral Zhao who had destroyed the place anyway. 

 

Zuko smiled. “Don’t flatter me like that, it was Aang who brought peace to the world.”

 

“Sure, but if you had been anything like your father, or if your sister had become Fire Lord, things would certainly look different,” the chief said. 

 

Sokka knew how much Zuko hated thinking and talking about it, but he’d rarely change the topic when it came up. To Zuko, it was a reminder why he was doing the work he was doing. A reminder to never go off the right path again. 

 

Chief Arnook lead them to their rooms for their stay, a bit further in the city in a big house that seemed almost as if it had been made just for them. The tribe probably didn’t get that many visitors on a regular basis. “I recommend you rest now from your journey. Tomorrow, I will tell you more about our ice rinks.” And he was gone, probably off to some more important duties. 

 

Ice rinks? Plural? More than one? Sokka definitely had only seen one last time he was there. 

 

He was beyond excited to see what they had in store for him. 

 

~~

 

“You seem excited,” Zuko suddenly said, still laying in bed. This had been one of the very first times since the start of their relationship Sokka had been the first of the two to wake up. 

 

“I am!” He said with a grin, turning around. “I can’t believe you did this for me.” 

 

“We all have our hobbies, right? It made me sad to see you couldn’t do yours and I couldn’t exactly place a patch of ice somewhere in the palace or get a pair of skates anywhere else so…” Zuko smiled. “You’re talented Sokka, so I wanted you to at least give you the opportunity to take a few classes as well. You deserve this.” 

 

“thank you,” Sokka couldn’t stop the large smile creeping onto his face. He really had the best boyfriend ever. 

 

~~ 

 

“You’re early!” chief Arnook said when they met up in his palace. 

 

“Yea, I was… excited,” Sokka sounded a bit more timid now, but the chief still smiled. 

 

“Well, I’ll get straight to the point then. It’s like this; we actually have two ice rinks.” Sokka’s eyes grew big at this statement. “You see, skating is one of our favourite sports here. Because of the three disciplines our people wanted to practice, ice hockey, shorttrack and figure skating, as well as the amount of people who wanted to just go skating once in a while, we decided to build a second one. Our new facility is for the figure skating and the free sessions for our people. I’m guessing you want to see that one?”

 

“Yes please,” Sokka smiled. Two ice rinks? One basically only for figure skating? That was a whole upgrade from his little patch (okay big patch, but still) of ice in the South Pole. He gripped Zuko’s hand as they followed the chief. 

 

“Did you know ice skating originated here?” The chief began. “You probably figured, but skating has been evolving for centuries here, that’s how the three different disciplines came about. It’s really important to our people.”

 

Chief Arnook went on for a little while, talking about the history of skating. 

 

While walking he realized why he hadn’t seen this one last time he was there. It was quite a bit from the village’s center considering how new and big it was. He genuinely couldn’t believe his eyes when he entered. A group of two girls stood at the border, drinking from their water, giggling a bit. One boy in the middle was doing some kind of routine, something that would’ve probably looked better on music, but it was cool nonetheless. 

 

“We sometimes hold competitions within our club. We get a life orchestra once or twice a week so the members can practice to a piece of music,” the chief began as if he could read his mind. The boy just landed a double flip. “We figured, it’s kind of like dancing, right? And you wouldn’t dance without music so… And it’s really nice to see too! The people really enjoy it.”

 

“It certainly is cool to see,” Zuko spoke up before Sokka could. Sokka lightly squeezed his hand out of excitement. 

 

Also on the ice was a smaller girl, maybe 10, practicing her axels. Sokka silently wished her good luck, knowing how long it took him to master that element.    
Another girl, probably around 14, was practicing some spirals all the way across the ice. Finally, a group of two boys, both around 15 or 16, were having some kind of class from an older man.

 

“That’s master Sho, our best teacher here. Well, one of the only ones that teaches anyone above beginner, but still. He’s really good from what I’ve heard. He told me to tell you he teaches ‘up till triple axel’, now I don’t know what that means, I’m more of a hockey person myself, but-”

 

“That’s amazing!” Sokka cut of the chief, who clearly wasn’t entirely sure what he was saying in the first place. “No, it really is! According to me scrolls, only very few people could do triple axels. I don’t know how up to date the scrolls are, but still!” he tried to not raise his voice from excitement, not wanting to disturb anyone on the ice. 

 

“I’m glad to hear. The master said he has time for you in half an hour or so. Oh, and the Fire Lord requested these while planning for this trip, I hope they fit…” he walked away for a second leaving the room, reentering with a pair of new skates in his hands. Sokka was blown away at how good they looked? His previous pairs of skates, he had made them himself. It hadn’t been easy at all, at least the scrolls had a bit of information on how the blades had to look, but still. It was a bigger wonder neither Katara nor Grangran even noticed he was making the second pair. The first pair they had definitely noticed and even helped a bit with making the boots. But now he got to hold, no wear, probably keep, a pair of skates that looked so professional! This day truly couldn’t get any better. 

  
  


“Thank you so much!” he said towards the chief and bowed down. 

 

“Don’t thank me, it was Fire Lord Zuko who asked and paid for them, and master Sho who had recommended them,” he began, “but I’m glad you like them. Anyway, I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you now, I have a business meeting to attend. The changing room for our skaters is right through that door. Good luck, Sokka,” he smiled and bowed towards the two, who returned the bow as well. 

 

“Well then, I guess I’ll have to thank  _ Fire Lord Zuko,” _ he grinned brightly towards the other.

 

“Please don’t call me that-” But Sokka just grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the dressing rooms.

 

As soon as they walked through the door, Sokka placed his skates carefully on the bench before turning around and wrapping Zuko in the biggest hug. “I love you so much, you know that?”

 

Zuko laughed while hugging back, “yea, you’ve said so a couple of times.” 

 

Sokka would’ve normally shovelled him, but he was just too happy. “This seems like a dream!” He gave him a quick peck on the lips. Zuko’s lips were warm like always, no matter what climate they were in. 

 

“It isn’t,” Zuko confirmed, returning a small kiss on his lips. “Come on, get ready, can’t let the master wait, right?”

 

Zuko was probably right, he still had about half an hour before the class started but he probably should get used to these skates that looked a lot firmer than his old ones did. But at the same time, he wanted to hug his boyfriend for just a bit longer, just for good measure. 

 

“We can hug all you want once we’re back,” Zuko reasoned. 

 

Sokka sighed and let go. He took the skated in his hand, closely inspecting them. They did look extremely nice quality, they must have costed a fortune. He tried to not think of that. Zuko wouldn’t tell him either way, even if he asked. “Are you going somewhere?”

 

“Where would I be going?” he leaned against a wall full of skates that seemed pretty low quality to him. 

 

“I don’t know, somewhere Fire Lord related? You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want…” a slight amount of sadness betrayed his otherwise confident voice. Of course he wanted Zuko to stay, but the fact that they were here and that he could skate already seemed like too much. 

 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Zuko smiled. “You know I love watching you skate.”

 

~~

 

Zuko was right. Getting used to these skates wasn’t that easy as he had hoped. In fact, he almost tripped as soon as he came on the ice. Luckily after doing some edges, the skates seemed to work a bit better with him. Sokka would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous. He had never been on the ice with other skilled skaters, or gotten class from an actual human being.  _ A master in skating! _ All he had learned was from scrolls and they couldn’t exactly tell you if you were doing something wrong… 

 

“Sokka?” He heard an unfamiliar voice from the other side of the ice rink. Quickly realizing it was master Sho, he hurried there and bowed down as a greeting. 

 

“Nice to meet you, I am-“

 

“You are Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe and here with the Fire Lord. I’m aware. Let’s start,” he said sternly. 

 

Straight to the point, hu? Sokka guessed it was for the best. He didn’t have all the time in the world after all, and he certainly didn’t want to talk half his lesson away. 

 

“Alright, what do you want me to start with? Waltzjump? Salchow-“ 

 

“No jumps for today. Here, we start with our skating skills,” the master didn’t exactly seem impressed with Sokka’s ideas. 

 

But Sokka hated footwork and edges and skating skills so he’d try his luck again. “I can skate! Up to double flip even! Well, sometimes at least but-“

 

“That doesn’t matter. Skating skills are the base for everything. What’s the point of having good jumps if everything in between is sloppy?” 

 

Sokka gave in after that. Maybe just a class on skating skills was a good warm up for the first day here, something easy to start off with. 

 

~~

 

He had been wrong. Very wrong. 

 

“Urgghh…” he moaned as soon as walked in their room, flopping face-first onto the bed. Zuko walked right after him, snickering at his pain, the bastard. 

 

“You didn’t like it?” he cocked an eyebrow. 

 

“Skating skills are harder than I thought,” he groaned again. “My muscles are gonna ache tomorrow.”

 

“Yea, you did a lot of laps around the ice…”

 

He had. He had done crossovers and footwork for a whole hour only. With absolutely no breaks! And he had to go faster every time as well. His legs had started feeling heavy after the first 10 minutes already, he wasn’t quite sure how he even had managed to finish the class and walk himself all the way back to their room. 

 

But he also didn’t want Zuko, who had done so much just so he could go skating, to feel bad, so he quickly added, “tomorrow we’re working on jumps though he said. And the ice felt amazing! The skates too. It was almost like home, but then 10 times better!”

 

Zuko faintly smiled, scooting him over a bit so he could sit on the bed as well. “Hmm,” he carefully placed Sokka’s head on his lap so he could play with his hair. Sokka loved Zuko playing with his hair. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

 

“I really did!” Sokka said, feeling his eyes get heavier, his muscles finally relaxing. And with the faint feeling of Zuko’s hands in his hair, he doze off. 

 

~~

 

When he woke up, he noticed they had somehow gotten under the duvet. He also noticed it must be very late at night, seeing the moon high up from his window. Yue. It didn’t feel right being here with Zuko, not at least going to the pond to ‘visit her’. He knew he should. Stalling would make him feel worse. 

 

As if he could read his mind in his sleep, Zuko stirred. “You awake?” His voice sounded hoarse. 

 

Sokka mumbled a “yes,” before saying “you can go back to sleep, you know?”

 

“You want to visit Yue, right?” Zuko hadn’t even opened his eyes. How did he know he was staring out of the window? He swore Zuko could read his mind there was absolutely no other way. 

 

“I guess so. I can go alone though…” Not that he wanted to go alone. At all. 

 

The other finally opened his eyes, not looking sad or angry or upset, just tired. “No, let’s do it,” he shifted up a bit. “Unless you don’t want me there, which I would totally understand,” he sounded sincere.

 

But Sokka did want him there. He wanted Yue to meet Zuko. Well, ‘meet’. And yea, technically they had met under very much not-good circumstances. But he knew Yue just wanted the best for him, and for him to find happiness, so it only seemed right to show her that he did find it. “Please come with me.”

  
  


And so the two were on their way to the spirit pond in the dead of the night. 

 

~~

 

Standing in front of the pond, it was weird. All it was were two fish, really, but he knew better than that and so did Zuko. He couldn’t exactly touch the fish (or rather, he didn’t want to in case he hurt it), so he just sat down and spoke. “Hi Yue,” he looked at the moon too. “Long time no see, I suppose.” a moment of silence. “Or well, I do see the moon a lot but I-... okay that’s not the point.” he took a deep breath. 

 

And Zuko just stood there, clearly not knowing what to do or see. 

 

The fish kept circling each other. Sokka went on. “I uh… am together with Zuko now” he pointed at Zuko while looking at the fish and then back to the moon. In any other circumstance, it would’ve probably looked pretty funny. “I miss you sometimes,” he wondered if that would make Zuko jealous. He hoped it didn’t, but it was the truth. Not necessarily in a relationship missing way, more as in a general missing way. Seeing someone turn into the moon is pretty intense. “But I know you want the best for me so,...” he gestured to Zuko, who now sat down as well. 

 

They sat there for a while. Looking at the fish in the pond circling each other. 

 

When Sokka spoke up again, it wasn’t directed to Yue anymore. “Waterbenders get stronger because of the moon. I’m not a waterbender, but the moon and ocean are still a big part of my culture. Sometimes I feel stronger when the moon is up as well. And now I’m also feeling… something.” It was hard to explain. Some weird power that he really couldn’t put into words. But it didn’t feel bad by any means. 

 

Zuko looked confused though. “Is that a good sign?”

 

“I think she approves,” Sokka said full of confidence, wrapping his arms around the other. And well, if a little tear fell from his eyes out of relief, no one had to know. 

 

~~

 

“It’s weird having your girlfriend turn into the moon,” Sokka said mindlessly when they were back in bed. 

 

Zuko couldn’t help but snort. “I bet.”

 

“I hope you’re not jealous.”

 

“Of the moon?” Nothing in Zuko’s voice sounded like jealousy though, more confused than anything. 

 

“Kinda? Listen, I know I said I missed her and I do. Because she’s gone and I don’t know. I still cared for her, you know? I love you more than I ever loved her really, I only knew her a couple of days I couldn’t actually love her so, there really is no reason to be jealous-“

 

“Sokka, I know, I’m not jealous.” Zuko said softly and started stroking his hair again. “I’m glad you think she approves of this.”

  
That thought warmed Sokka’s heart.

 

~~

 

In the morning however, Sokka felt terrible. He didn’t sleep a lot last night and every muscle in his body ached. 

 

“You don’t look too well,” Zuko said, still lying in bed but he had obviously been awake way before that.    
  
“Wow, thank you for the compliment,” Sokka rolled his eyes groaned. Maybe Zuko still had to work a bit on being subtle about those kinds of things. “Everything hurts.”

 

Zuko actually grinned, _ the sadist!  _ Sokka thought. He reached next to him to get hold of the pillow and smash it (lightly) into the others face. Maybe that wasn’t the best idea though.    
  
“Oh so that’s how you’re gonna play it, well then-...” Zuko sat up, hovered over him and started tickling the other. His one weakness!

 

Okay so Sokka couldn’t stand tickling, and it was even worse when all of his muscles ached like crazy. 

 

“No! please- ha ha- please-” he felt himself getting short of breath. Zuko was laughing too. “Please have- ha ha ha- mercy-” his cheeks were glowing hot and his body ached and he tried to hold the other back which clearly wasn’t working as well as he wished it would.

 

Maybe Zuko didn’t become  _ that  _ merciful, because he certainly didn’t stop even after the pleading. Two can play that game. Sokka fought back, trying to tickle Zuko too, which he know wouldn’t be successful because the other wasn’t ticklish at all but he still could try. 

 

In a moment of distraction, Sokka flipped them over, him being on top this time. “Ah ha!” he proclaimed, grabbing both of Zuko’s hands and pinning them. For someone in pain, he was still surprisingly strong. He mentally patted himself on the back.

 

They were both out of breath, their faces close to each other. Sokka lightly touched his forehead to Zuko’s, still breathing loudly.    
  
If anyone would walk into their room now, they would definitely get the wrong idea. But no one would walk in on  _ Fire Lord Zuko _ like that obviously and either way, they were a couple and this is what couples do, even if they weren’t ‘official’ for the public yet, everyone pretty much knew. Sometimes it still blew Sokka’s mind, everything that had happened. From the moment he met Zuko (which was very much not ideal), to all the encounters he had before joining the group (also, not ideal), to the both of them being oblivious idiots for much too long. And now he had it all, Zuko was lying under him, lovingly looking at Sokka which still made his heart do a little backflip most of the time, and he was his. Zuko had planned this whole trip just for him and it was so beyond perfect it almost seemed like a dream. 

 

Zuko broke up his thought though. “Sokka, listen I don’t want to stop wherever this is going but, we’re gonna be late for your class if we don’t get going,” he said softly.    
  
Normally, something like this wouldn’t exactly please Sokka, but Zuko was right and his voice sounding so considerate, it just made him even weaker. So he let his lips brush the others one last time before getting off of him and off the bed. 

 

“I love you, you know that,” he said again. It still made Zuko blush though, even after all those times.

 

“I know, I love you too.”


End file.
